Tag: #happyheart

Wow! What a month! What a truly AMAZING month! It filled my coeur (heart) with pure love, joy, and happiness!

Racing:

Ironman Mont Tremblant was so much fun! A great venue, a great day, beautiful weather, patience, and following my coeur lead me to a near perfect race execution and a shiny new PR. You can experience my day via my race report.

So much coeur on this course! #bikelove

Training:

Due to racing Ironman Mont Tremblant, there wasn’t much training done in August. The little training we did do was in beautiful places…Lake Placid, NY and Mont Tremblant, Quebec!

Family + spending the majority of August on vacation (we left July 25 and didn’t return home until August 22) = #happyheart

Swimming with my fave in Lake Placid!My family from California came came for a few days! #happyheartLove these three monkeys!Family snugglesWe went to the top on the gondola again!Getting ready to ride the luge in the summer!These peeps hold 4 keys to my heart!Love these peeps!So grateful to have Dad and Aunt Linda come spend time with us in Mont Tremblant and cheer us on to PRs on race day!So grateful to have Dad come on crazy adventures with us!

Feeling:

Rejuvenated! Spending a month on vacation was a great way to see new places, refill my heart, and prepare for the coming school year.

Listening to:

The Voice of Ironman Mike Reilly is an incredible podcast! It is so amazing to hear about Ironman from his perspective. The finish lines, the atmosphere, the energy!

Own Your Awesome Podcast with Amy Dixon is so inspirational! Amy lost her sight, but gained so much more as a result. Amy is a blind triathlete who recently became the first women to complete an Xterra triathlon. She is a paratriathlete who will be competing at Worlds in Rotterdam in September and has her heart set on on the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. She is a motivational speaker and when you listen to her, you will know why!

Returning to:

Work…yes, the dreaded 4 letter word for a teacher at the end of summer vacation! I am very grateful to have such a good job with summers off to enjoy time with family and friends! The beginning of the year is so exhausting, but I will be back into a consistent routine soon enough!

Looking forward to:

The changing seasons…I love summer, but I also love the beautiful fall colors and adventures with my fave and our girls in the snow! I’m looking forward to the opportunities that fall and winter bless us with (remind me of this in February when I’m ready for it to be summer again)! I am also looking forward to returning to a consistent routine. It has been fun to have a break from this routine, but I am definitely ready to have routine and normalcy (for us) back in our lives!

How was your month of August? What were your August highlights? What are you looking forward to?

Hello race week! Where did you come from?! I Have been awaiting your arrival for so long! Now that you are here, I’m kind of wishing time would slow down a bit so we could savor this a bit longer!

We made it to Mont Tremblant last Monday and have filled our week with tapering workouts, family time, and relaxation.

Swim: 2187 yards

We got to swim in one of the most cleanest, nicest pools ever in Mont Tremblant! Why can’t we have an indoor facility like this in Ames?!

Bike: 31.5 miles

Riding in our condo thanks to the rain outside.Putting in some work, but alas the storms showed up and cut our work a bit short for this ride!

Run: 14.7 miles

Getting my happy on with my last double digit run done before race day in this beautiful place!These running/biking trails are spectacular!Running with my fave for a few miles to shake out the legs post massage.

Strength Training: 10 minutes of core most days

Weekly Totals: 5 hours & 54 minutes

Weekly Positives:

Crossing the border into Canada!Arriving at our condo…look at this view!Riding the gondola to the top of the hills to look out over Mont Tremblant!The top! These views!This amazing pizza…I’m dreaming about it!Getting a pre-race massage at our condo. Melanie Jardot did a FANTASTIC job. HIGHLY recommend her for massage if you are in need of one in Mont Tremblant!My family from California came came for a few days! #happyheartLove these three monkeys!Family snugglesWe went to the top on the gondola again!Getting ready to ride the luge in the summer!Riding into the village…that is the Ironman tent in the background!Taking a quick gander at the Ironman Village as it gets set up!Enjoying a beer by the fire after babysitting the nieces so my sister and brother-in-law could enjoy a date night!

Last week flew by in the blink of an eye! So much fun, lots of recovery time, family time, and a race to cap off the week!

Swim: 1574 yards

I love swimming at home home! So awesome with the New Wave Swim Buoy in Lake Okoboji!#swimlove with my fave at home home!

Bike: 45.7 miles

Pure joy comes when you learn new skills! Congratulations to Maggie! She stared fear in the face and won! So proud of you Maggie!“Mama, you say recovery ride. We say recovery is sleeping!” ~Basil and Mya

Run: 7.71 miles

Sweaty, nasty race prep miles.

Strength Training: 10 minutes of core almost daily (I did miss a couple of days)

Getting some help with my core work…holding plank with 3 of my nieces on my back!

Weekly Totals: 5 hours & 44 minutes

Weekly Positives:

So grateful to CEP Compression for my Tour prize! I will recover like a champ! THANK YOU!Tubing is part of the pre-race training plan, right?!4 of my favorite girls swimming in the lake off the boat!Family + Lake Okoboji = #happyheartCheering on the participants at the start of the Okoboji Marathon.2nd place AG at the Okoboji Triathlon! I’ll have a race report on the blog later this week!Enjoying Indian cuisine with our friends + being blessed with these gifts from India = #happyheart

Quote of the Week:

“Rest. It’s part of the plan. Muscles are torn in training, fed in the kitchen, and built in bed.”

I’m mentally and physically ready for this last big push to Ironman Mont Tremblant! Only 5 more weeks?! CRAZY!!

Not sure how this happened, but we are inside of 100 days until Ironman Wisconsin. I guess time flies when you’re having fun!!

Monday:

Since we both had the day off work and we weren’t on a rigid schedule, we slept in and completed our workouts at different times throughout the day. We went to the gym at about 9:20 am for an hour strength training session. It was nice not to have many people at the gym since they weren’t officially open. We have a 24/7 key and can go to the gym anytime we want to do strength training and use the cardio equipment. This does not give us access to the pool anytime we want, so after our strength training, we went to the outdoor pool for our swim. It was SO AWESOME to get to finally swim outdoors!! After refueling, we hopped on the bike for 75 minutes of saddle time. We knew there were storms coming, so we opted for the trainer so we could get some yard work and house work done after our workout. With a couple more days of work, we prepared for the coming week, went to shower at our friends’ house (since we still didn’t have a working hot water heater) and then it was early to bed.

Tuesday:

We took today as a rest day since we had put in lots of hours last week and knew we were getting a new hot water heater after work. On my way home from work, I met a client for a personal training session, picked up our CSA, stopped at the pharmacy, and picked up a gift card for the person who was installing our hot water heater. It took longer than I imagined to install the hot water heater, but it felt so amazing to shower at home and not have to heat water on the stove to do dishes!!

Wednesday:

Last day of work!! And to celebrate, I went for a bike ride!! It was an ABSOLUTELY PERFECT day to be in the saddle and on the open road/trail!!

Happy first day of summer break!! We woke up at 4:30 am (yes, you read that correctly, I still got up early to workout with the Iron Hippie) and ran hill repeats with the sunrise + my two faves!! It was the perfect start to my day!! I spent most of the morning doing house work (vacuuming, laundry, and dishes) before going to the outdoor pool to swim at 11 am. There were a lot of people in the pool, but it was so peaceful to have my head in the water, the sun shining on my back, and not a care in the world about trying to rush off to whatever is next. After my swim, I made lunch, cleaned our veggies from our CSA, took an epsom salt bath, and did more laundry before the Iron Hippie came home from work. We capped the night off with TRX and refueling before bed.

Friday:

It was another early morning and so peaceful to start my day in the 50 meter pool!! The long course + sunrise + quiet morning = #happyheart I consumed my breakfast smoothie on the way home from the pool. I had just enough time to get an easy hour in on the bike (trainer style) and shower before meeting a client for a personal training session. I went grocery shopping for the coming week on my way home…it is so nice to go during the week and not have to fight the crowds of people on the weekends. After eating lunch, I took the dogs for a walk and spent the afternoon relaxing, catching up on email and blogging. The Iron Hippie and I went downtown in the evening for the local “Art Walk,” where each downtown business sponsors a local artist for 3 hours. It is crazy how many different artists there are in our area!!

Folk dancers at the downtown “Art Walk”Locals knitted a square to be hung as part of a quilt on the outside of a local business

Saturday:

We started the day with a 10 mile run, which I was hoping to average a 9:00/mile pace for…nailed it!! After making a quick smoothie with whey protein, for recovery, we rode our bikes to yoga in the park. Every Saturday from now until the first weekend in August (except July 4th weekend), Ames offers free yoga at Bandshell Park from 10-11 am. It is a great opportunity for people new to yoga to try it for free! For those who love yoga, it is a great opportunity to practice yoga outdoors with others! When we came home, we devoured food, did yard work, cleaned the house, did laundry, and then it was nap time!! It has been a while since I took an afternoon nap on the weekends, but my body loved it!! After my nap it was time for dinner and froyo before bed. It was great to meet my #solesister and her kids for some froyo!!

Basil cooling down in the shade post running. Love her!!

Sunday:

I was a bit tired, so I slept in and then completed the 3x(60 min bike + 20 min run) by myself. I set up the trainer in the driveway since each brick was supposed to be slightly harder (higher zone) and faster. This would allow me consistency and not have to worry about traffic/traffic lights/wind speeds to go harder with each one. I also ran the same route off the bike each time to try to go a bit farther with each run. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” was the theme for this workout. In the middle of brick #2, the wheels fell off…it became REALLY hard and I wasn’t sure if I could do brick #3. When I came back from run #2, I climbed back on the bike and reached out to multiple friends to encourage and motivate me to #nevergiveup on this workout, even though it wasn’t going as planned. With their encouragement and support, I pushed through and finished this workout. I seriously hope that our 70.3 race in 2 weeks is much easier than this workout!! After refueling and spending over an hour just laying in the recliner, I decided to move and take an epsom salt bath. We then did a little shopping for the coming week, took the dogs to Peterson Pits so they could swim, gave them baths in the driveway to wash the fishy water away, grabbed some leftovers for dinner, and met some friends for froyo. It was great to sit outside and chat with them while enjoying some froyo!!

#YogaloveFun times with my #solesistaBirthday funday!Bike fit loveSpring break with my #solesisterFun with my nieces at the parkPlaying tag with the familyRunning a 5K with my sister

April:

Our own 70.3 workout dayTeaching women how to do bike maintenance#runlove with the familyDrake 1/2 Marathon fun!Drake 1/2 Marathon funNiece #5 was born!

May:

Outdoor training 🙂I love to ride my bicycle!Oops…learning lessonsVisiting the Aerospace Engineering Department at Iowa State UniversityChanging a flat while the Iron Hippie watches…I’m sure many people who passed us had some thoughts about his “supervision” duties 😉Last day of school!!Getting my Undress in the mail and loving it!!

June:

First outdoor swim in 2015Finishing the Legend 100 hand-in-hand with the Iron Hippie. Photo courtesy of Legend EnduranceWho’s ready to race?!?!?!Dad (blue) and Tom (gray) figuring out how to get into their kayaks to escort me on an open water swimWe are ready to ride the Tour de Cure Cedar Rapids!!

July:

30 miles into our 115 mile bike ride. Last big ride before Ironman BoulderLast big swim before Ironman BoulderLast long run before Ironman BoulderMeeting my blog friend, Kelli, and her family 🙂The view off of the deck overlooking the lake in Red Feather Lakes, CO.The morning sunrise on the mountains at Red Feather Lakes, CO.Taking a boat ride in Red Feather Lakes, COSunset with a double rainbow in the background (this photo does not do the real beauty justice) in Red Feather Lakes, COWe made it to Estes Park, CO!!The view of Longs Peak from our patio in Estes Park, CO.Happy Anniversary to the Iron Hippie…what a great way to celebrate 5 years in Grand Lakes, CO 😉We made it to Adam’s Falls…with Allen and the Iron Hippie.We all survived our first run at altitude 🙂Three athletes ready to ride in Boulder, CO!The view from the path around Lake Estes, CO.Ward, Colorado was our turn around point for the Peak to Peak Highway ride.People lining the shore getting ready for the BAM OWS in Boulder, CO.BAM OWS in Boulder, CO complete…I felt GREAT!!Stand-up paddle boarding in Lake Estes, CO 🙂Taking a break from the riding and doing a little core work in Ward!!#bikelove on the Peak to Peak Highway in ColoradoWe found a “sign” of back home in downtown Denver!!Loch Lake, CO…Loving the hike!Having a little fun throwing snowballs in July on our way up to Loch Vale.“Riding” tandem in Estes Park, COIronman Boulder…here I come!Ready to race IMBoulder 🙂Getting Registered for Ironman BoulderI’m so lucky to have my family at IMBoulder to cheer me on!

August:

Mojo is all racked and getting a good night’s rest at her temporary home so we can have fun at IMBoulder!!My aunt, cousins and Dad came out to the Rez for the IMBoulder swimWhizzing through Hygiene on the first loop…Serious #bikelove on this course!!Mom and the twins are cheering me on to the run!This smile sums up my race day experience!!Erin…one of my Coeur Sports teammates and my angel on race day!!My cheer squad…Love them all!!Dad and Sam cheering me on down the finish shoot…yes, that blur is me 🙂Coming into the finish shoot all smiles…it was a daylight finish, but these photos don’t represent that.Visiting my sister and nieces in CaliforniaSister time in Cali!Running up Mt. Diablo in California#solesistasweat#bikelove with friends

September:

Team Kecia crossed the finish line at the Des Moines Triathlon…job complete.Holy Crap! I think this is a sign that I left it all out on the bike course.Volunteering at Ironman Wisconsin…Race morning in front of the Capitol.Ironman Wisconsin Race morning…who is ready to swim?!?!?!The women volunteers in T1 at Ironman WisconsinGetting my Sound Probiotics Ambassador gearBasil walking toward the Supermoon on a rural gravel road.

October:

Signed up for Ironman Wisconsin 2016!300+ 8th grade students ready for the AMS Spirit Run!Fall #bikelove is the best 🙂Date night with the Iron Hippie as we work on our strength trainingFinding some motivation with my #IMWI finisher medal and race bib on the wall next to me as I rideLots of #heartandcourage as I heal up from bursitis of the my left kneeTaking the dogs for a swimNailing my intervals on the trainer! #bikeloveDry needling to assist my healing…thanks to Dr. Chris at Team ChiropracticGetting our #solesista tattoos 🙂This ink will be my constant reminder while training and racing to #believe in myself, my abilities and my training!!

November:

Enjoying some outdoor #bikelove in November in Iowa…short sleeves and shorts! WHAT?!?!?!Century ride in November in Iowa…this amazing weather is unheard of!!I found out that I made the Coeur Sports 2016 Ambassador Team…Such a badass group of women that I’m overjoyed to be a part of!!My fitness article on “Giving thanks in an active lifestyle” was a big hit this month in our local magazine 😉Girl’s night out with some running friends…so much fun 🙂Outdoor #bikelove lasted through November 14 this year!!Pleasantly surprised with a Passion Planner from one of my colleagues.Winter greeted us with a LOT of snow (7.6 inches) for the first snow fall of the season.Romping and snowshoeing with friendsRiding a motorized animal just because I can 🙂Spending an afternoon with Mom and Grandma.

December:

Thank you to Simone for my wonderful bracelet!! “Believe, Endure, Achieve” will be my mantra for 2016. It will remind me to #believe in all that I am and to #endure and overcome challenges throughout my journey so I can #achieve big dreams! #dreambig #meaningfulmantrasLooking back at 2015 to move forward in 2016 #goalsettingYahoo!! So pumped for my new Roka Sports wetsuit!!Taking part in Rising Tide Triathlon Coaching’s #rttc10dayroutine Challenge and developing a routine that has helped me #believe in myself deep underneath the surface at the very core of my being.1. Start my “Believe” playlist…time to get down and jam!2. Take a couple of swigs of Karma Kombucha Orange Ginger…”I #believe I can fly”3. Listen to my pep talk (previously recorded) while I pull on my workout gear…”Don’t stop believing”4. Grab my lucky charm from Tonja and head out the door…”In a world of ordinary mortals, you are a Wonder Woman!”5. Stand on the front step in power pose for 30 seconds because…I am Wonder Woman!Finally reconnecting with my mat after 9 months off…#yogaloveRunning on a beautiful cold morning with 2 of my faves!Grandma Annie continues to show up at Christmas and surprise us all with her awesomeness…Our hideous pajama pants were a family favorite this year!Snowshoeing in the offseason!!Basil loves playing in the snow!! #happyheartLove my sole sister!!Girls night out!! Lots of laughs!! 🙂My new Cobb Cycling V-Flow saddle 🙂Fun times with family!!